A few days ago we stated in these columns
that, notwithstanding the Irish element of this city had already
furnished, and were still furnishing, the largest quota of the fighting
men of the volunteer companies already organized, that it was in
contemplation to form a brigade or a regiment of the same material. The
plans for such a formation have been fully matured. There is enough of
the right stuff here, still left. The sons of Erin are eager to prove,
in the present crisis, that the same valor that so often turned defeat
into victory on the battle-fields of Europe, still exists in this city.
A notice of the location of the headquarters of the enrollment of the
brigade appears in our columns. In to-morrow's issue we will have
something more to say on this subject. In the meantime, we call upon
every man who feels a pride in being born in the Green Isle--"a land
blessed by God but cursed by man"--to hold himself in readiness to stand
by the "Irish Brigade."

FROM THE SEAT OF WAR

Pensacola, April 24--There has been no
arrival of troops to-day. The cars due at 11 o'clock to-night will bring
in two more companies. They are, I believe, Louisiana regulars.

The two new companies--Louisiana Guards
and Crescent Rifles--stationed in this city, are perfect specimens of
soldier-gentlemen. They compose the flower and chivalry of that imperial
city. I am told by an eye-witness that their departure was an incident
not readily forgotten. Their march to the cars was one continued
ovation. They are now engaged in fortifying Pensacola by the erection of
a three-gun battery a few hundred yards from their quarters. Their
evening parades are witnessed with the greatest pleasure, the ladies
composing the larger portion of the spectators. Brighter eyes never
cheered soldiers to war.

The Rifle Rangers, a Pensacola company,
last night tendered their services to the governor, to serve the
Confederate flag. They are a fine looking body of young gentlemen, and
under Capt. Perry, will be a host on the day of fight.

The Confederacy propeller Cashman,
while cruising in the bay last night grounded on Santa Rosa beach. The
Neafie went to her assistance, and in a short time succeeded in
dragging her to swimming water. No damage done.

While the Cashman was aground last
night some forty federalists came within a few hundred yards of her, but
there was no swapping of words.

The Zouaves are a great set of fellows. On
their passage to the navy-yard last evening, one fell overboard and
drowned. While the little boat was out hunting his body, two of them
tried to fight a duel on the deck of the Neafie. They are brave,
and on the war-path.

A man named Anthony, caught under very
suspicious circumstances on Santa Rosa Island, was this evening paraded
in front of the troops on duty in town, that he might be recognized by
citizens and soldiers in the future. After this public exhibition he was
ordered to place fifteen miles of daylight between himself and Pensacola
forever.

Large quantities of shot, shell, and
everything else intended to kill people, have been transported to the
navy-yard today. Such things, however, are of common occurrence.

The articles of war were read to the
troops this evening. They are to work night and day on the batteries,
relieved every six hours.

ALABAMA TROOPS FOR VIRGINIA

The Montgomery Advertiser of Wednesday
says, that within four or five days a regiment of Alabama troops will
concentrate at this point and immediately embark for Virginia. Several
of our companies will probably go in this regiment. The next regiment,
which is to be composed of north and east Alabama companies, will
concentrate in a few days afterwards at Dalton, Georgia, and also
proceed to Virginia at as early a moment as possible.

ANOTHER SEIZURE AND A RELEASE

The party who went down the bay yesterday
found only one northern vessel that had not gone to sea--the bark R.
H.Gamble. She seemed determined to get off, and three shots
were fired at her from Fort Morgan before she hove to. She was then
taken possession of by a party of the Continentals, and brought some
distance up the bay, when, as we are informed, orders were received from
their captain to release her, and she was released. The Belle of the
Bay and the Daniel Townsend, we are assured, will not be
released.

We have inquired concerning the authority
under which these seizures were made, and learn that the instructions,
though only permissive, were ample authority for detaining all United
States vessels not loaded with cotton.

THE FREE COLORED MEN MOVING

Capt. H. B. Favrot is engaged in mustering
into service the free colored men of Baton Rouge, and had about thirty
names enrolled on Thursday last.

THE STATE OF THE UNION DEFINED BY A BOY

At the examination of a boy nine years of
age, for admission to one of the public schools in a suburban town, the
teacher, after a satisfactory result in reading and spelling, asked,
"What do you know about the United States?" The youngster promptly
replied, "Don't know nothing, nor nobody does--all gone to smash."

A FLOGGING SCRAPE

A Richmond (Va.) dispatch says: Frank
Smyth, a correspondent of the New York Times and other black
republican papers, was this evening, at 10 o'clock, flogged, on Main
street, by Wm. Lloyd, one of the proprietors of the Examiner, for
lies which he circulated with regard to the late assault made by
Marmaduke Johnson, Esq., upon Hon. John M. Daniel. He ran away, and has
not been heard from since.

CORN AND POTATOES

The Columbia South Carolina says:
"Marion's men could live on sweet potatoes and fight the British. Give
our boys plenty of corn and potatoes, and they can defend our soil
against all abolitionism. plant plenty of provisions and less cotton
this year."

-----

A new literary paper, just started in New
York, entitled "The Age," says:

Those who think the South is powerless, do
not understand her. In the Mexican war the southern states contributed
twice as many men as the northern. The south, with her fields
cultivated, and nearly all her work done by negroes, can place her
entire population under arms. In a great emergency, the southern states
could place in the field a million of men--the greater part of them such
men as won the battles of Buena Vista and New Orleans.

MONDAYAPRIL 29, 1861THE SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN

THE LATEST NEWS

Young Lady Drowned
While on a Pleasure Excursion

Pittsfield, April 28--A sudden and
mournful accident occurred on Saturday afternoon, to a pleasure party of
young ladies from Maplewood Institute, in this town. While they were on
an excursion to Wahconah Falls in Windsor, in care of the principal,
Lillie, daughter of Col. Reeves (lately of the U.S. army, and still in
Texas), slipped into the deep pool below the fall, and was swept away by
the eddy and drowned. Help was immediately at hand, but the undercurrent
was irresistible.

The Union Uprising in Maryland

A dozen American flags were raised in
Baltimore on Friday. The chief of police ordered all flags to be taken
down during the session of the general assembly. In some instances there
were refusals, and arrests were made. At 5 p.m. Friday, no flags were
flying, either secession or federal.

Northwestern Maryland will stand up
strongly for the Union if the state secedes. Washington, Alleghany,
Frederick and Carroll counties will secede from the state unless she
adheres to the stars and stripes.

The people of Fredericksburg are about
equally divided. Of 400 men enrolled and armed, 350 are for the union.
The Union men have control of the barracks and arms.

Exploit by a Massachusetts Company

The 10th company of the 8th Massachusetts
regiment, under Capt. Briggs, (Allen Guards of Pittsfield, probably), in
a steam tug, Saturday night, cut out the receiving ship Alleghany from
Baltimore harbor, and anchored her under the guns of Fort McHenry. She
was thus saved from seizure by the secessionists.

Blockade Extended to
Virginia and North Carolina

President Lincoln will to-day issue his
proclamation, extending the blockade already declared, to the ports of
Virginia and North Carolina, for the reasons heretofore assigned
relative to ports in states which had rebelled previously. Capt.
Stringham will direct the general blockade, and he ought to "hurry up"
about it.

A Southerner Arrested at Camp
SusquehannaATTEMPT TO FIRE THE POWDER MAGAZINE

A man just arrived from North Carolina was
detained at Camp Susquehanna, at Havre de Grace, Saturday afternoon,
charged with having approached the powder magazine with a lighted cigar.
He was stopped by a sentinel, and his conduct being deemed suspicious,
he was conducted to the commandant. Subsequently three slow matches were
found in the vicinity, in all about ten feet in length. He is also
charged with having drawn a pistol on the sentinel, but he denies having
done more than than place his hand on it. The accused earnestly protests
against any infamous purpose, being entirely unacquainted with the
condition of the camp. He says he approached the magazine unawares. He
is a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., but a citizen of North Carolina.

Great Britain on Secession

Lord Lyons, the British minister at
Washington, a few days since dispatched his first secretary to
Montgomery, and it is understood he carried information to Jeff. Davis
as to the position England intends to assume towards the confederate
government. It is pretty certain that the commissioners sent to Europe
will not be received in an official capacity by the court of St. James.

Palmetto Troops in Virginia

Six hundred troops from South Carolina
arrived at Richmond on teh 2d, and were received with enthusiastic
cheering. Seven thousand more are expected soon.

VIRGINIA ASSUMING AN ARMED NEUTRALITY

No Attack on Washington

Gov. Letcher has notified President
Lincoln that no troops from Virginia will be allowed to march outside
the state in any manner. The sole object of Virginia is to defend her
soil from aggression by the North. He (Letcher) will not permit the
troops of the confederate states to cross Virginia in order to attack
Washington.

Volunteers in Richmond and elsewhere are
ordered to remain at home, simply holding themselves in readiness when
called upon by the proper authorities.

The statement of Gen. Harper, commanding
the rebel forces at Harper's Ferry, regarding the security of the
capital, that "Virginia would never allow an attack to take place from
her soil," was made to the officers of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad,
while endeavoring to obtain their consent to the transportation of
provisions to his camp. Gen. Scott is reported to have said, on
receiving the intelligence, that he would be most happy to have it
confirmed, but he would not advise the federal government to desist from
its present course of providing for its safety.

From Norfolk

The rebel fortifications on the coast of
Virginia, especially the approaches to Norfolk and Portsmouth, were
advancing rapidly, and it was estimated that nearly six hundred men were
hard at work at the various points. Particularly was this the case at
Fort Norfolk, Craney Island and at the Navy Hospital. The obstructions
near the entrance to the port of Norfolk remained, though vessels
drawing eight to ten feet of water passed freely in and out. At the
wharf of Fortress Monroe was the propeller Chesapeake, of the Parker
Vein or Cromwell line. Efforts were making to raise the steam frigate
Merrimac, the sloop-of-war Plymouth, and another war vessel, which, it
was supposed, would be successful.

Gen. Harney Taken Prisoner by the
Virginians

Gen. Harney of the U.S. army was taken
prisoner at Harper's Ferry by the Virginia rebels, Saturday morning. He
was on his way from St. Louis, through Wheeling, via the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, top report himself to head-quarters at Washington. A
searching party of Virginians passed through the cars, and Gen. Harney
being pointed out, in citizen's dress, he was immediately taken into
custody, although he received very courteous treatment. Probably Gov.
Letcher will order his release, as was the case with an officer of the
U.S. army who was seized a few days since at Richmond.

News from SavannahTHREE PIRATES PREPARED TO SAIL

Savannah dates to the 23d state that three
vessels in that port are fitted out and waiting for privateer
commissions from Jeff Davis, which will be received in a few days. They
will be commanded by skillful seamen, and many other privateers will be
commissioned and sent out, under charge of renegade Yankees. Recruits
are fast pouring into Savannah, and great preparations are making to
join the rebel army in the border states for an attack on Washington.
Intense excitement prevails at Savannah, and all Unionism is effectually
overawed.

Seizures of Rebel Property

Six sloops, laden with gunpowder, supposed
to be intended for the South, were seized at New York, Saturday.

A Philadelphia steam tug pursued the tug
Wm. B. Reaney and captured her in Delaware bay. She had recently
been purchased, it is supposed, for the rebel confederacy. The prize was
handed over to the navy yard authorities at Philadelphia.

Two thousand brass belts, stamped "S.C.,"
and two thousand stamped with the Virginia coat of arms, were seized at
New York Saturday.

TUESDAYAPRIL 30, 1861BOSTON DAILY ADVERTISER

"A Fair Proposition"

Some one sends to us from New Orleans what
is called "a fair proposition" made by a journal in that city for the
settlement of political troubles. The plan is to select a battlefield,
let "Jeff Davis" have an army of 50,000 men, and "Abe Lincoln" or any
one he may depute an army just twice as large, and then fight it
out--the South to submit if Lincoln beats and the Union to be divided if
Davis beats. "If you are not cowards, you will accept the proposition,"
writes the unknown correspondent on the margin of this challenge.

One serious difficulty in the way of this
or any similar plan is, that a way of settling difficulties by a
peaceable election has already been tried, and the South being fairly
whipped would not stay whipped. It is therefore quite out of the
question now to listen to any proposition for settlement, which depends
upon a previous agreement. The only way now is just to crush out the
strength of the seceded States. "Will this proposition be accepted?"
asks the Crescent, and ingenuously adds, "we doubt it." We doubt it,
too--not because the administration "never will meet a brave foe for a
fair fight," but because the foe cannot withstand the power with which
the general government will soon assert its authority.

MISCELLANEOUS

The St. Louise Republican appeals to the
sober sense of the people to discountenance every attempt at Secession,
come from whatever quarter it may, to take the ground which Kentucky has
taken--that of Armed Neutrality: neither suffering the hostile troops of
the North to invade our soil in pursuit of a Southern foe, nor
permitting any invasion of Southern troops for a like purpose.

Molded glass casks are made in Belgium.
They are covered with an open wicker work, are said to be stronger than
those of wood, and are furnished with ground-glass stoppers and taps.
The quantity of liquor remaining in them is always visible.

In New York harbor on Sunday, among other
vessels seized, the slop Fox was boarded; she had 2860 kegs of
powder, besides five barrels of the same article, containing 150 pounds
each. The sloop Time was also boarded. She had 1700 kegs of
powder, 60 boxes ball cartridges, and three boxes cannon cartridges. The
sloops were taken to Bedloe's Island.

A genuine portrait of Shakespeare, taken
from the life of Burbage, is said to have been recently discovered in
Stratford.

The presence of the troops in Maryland has
had the tendency of inflating the prices of every description of
provisions. Flour was held at twenty dollars per barrel.

TERRORISM AT BALTIMORE[From the Baltimore Patriot,
April 26]

The arrangements of the police Department
of the past few days may appear to some of our citizens to have been
stringent and severe, but we are assured that they were deemed
absolutely necessary in the condition in which the city was placed. Amid
the universal excitement there were lawless persons who were willing to
take advantage of their fellow citizens, and to levy upon them in
various ways such property as they could secure. In some instances, for
protection, the officers were obliged to seize the property of citizens,
and order it into places of security to prevent its misapplication and
destruction. Now that the city has been rendered quiet and the police
are in full authority and have entire control of the excited element,
they assure our people of their security, and of their purpose to return
all property in their possession to their proper owners.

VERY DOUBTFUL

A grocer who was impressed into the rebel
army, has arrived at New York from Charleston, and reports that at the
bombardment of Fort Sumter at least a thousand rebels were killed, four
hundred of whom were in Fort Moultrie. He further asserts that 30 were
killed by Major Anderson's first discharge. The Southern papers are very
good at keeping secrets, but they could not conceal the fact of so great
a slaughter as this, it it had really occurred.

A CORRECTION

A Toronto paper is publishing news from
this country under the heading, "The American Revolution." We beg leave
to inform our contemporary that the Revolution is ended, and our
independence has been acknowledged by the mother country. We are just
now engaged in suppressing a little rebellion among ourselves.

THE CALL FOR TROOPS

The government appears to be quietly
increasing its call for troops. The number of regiments called for from
the slave States was twenty-one. Delaware and Missouri will probably
answer the call with volunteer regiments, so that altogether the
deficiency to be made up will not exceed fifteen or sixteen regiments.
Pennsylvania, however, is called upon for twenty-one additional
regiments. New York, probably with an understanding with the government,
is more than doubling its proportion, which was seventeen. Massachusetts
has doubled her, and it is reported that dispatches are on the way to
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, which very likely increase the call upon
those States. Altogether, when the force is finally in the field, it is
likely to number one hundred and fifty thousand or seventy-five
thousand, and to leave behind a reserve of at least equal strength.

WEDNESDAYMAY 1, 1861SPRINGFIELD DAILY REPUBLICAN /
PITTSFIELD SUN

AN IRISH REGULAR'S REASONS FOR
NOT DESERTING WITH HIS OFFICER

The following dialogue took place between
Lieutenant A. C. C--d, late of the U.S. Texan army, and Pat Fletcher,
one of the privates of the Second Cavalry, now at Carlisle, the near
Fort Bliss:

Fletcher: "Begor I never enlisted in
th'abolition army, and never will. I agreed to sarve Uncle Sam for five
year, and the divil a pin mark was made in the contract, with my consint,
ever since. When my time is up, if the army isn't the same as it is now,
I won't join it agin."

Officer: "Pat, the "Second" (Cavalry) was
eighteen months old when you and I joined. The man who raised our
gallant regiment is now the Southern President; the man who so lately
commanded it, is now a Southern General. Can you remain in it, when they
are gone?"

Fletcher: "Well, you see, the fact of the
matter is, Lieut. C., I ain't much of a scholar; I can't argue the
question with you, but what would my mother say if I deserted my colors?
Oh, the divil a give in, I'll ever give in, now that's the ind of it. I
tried to run once, a few weeks after enlistin', but a man wouldn't be
missed thin. It's quite different now, Lieutenant, and I'm not goin' to
disgrace naither iv my countries."

Officer: "Do you know that you will have
to fire on green Irish colors in the Southern ranks?"

Fletcher: "And won't you have to fire on
them colors, (pointing to the flag at Fort Bliss,) that yerself and five
of us licked nineteen rangers under? Sure it isn't a greater shame for
an Irishman to fire on Irish colors, than for an American to fire on
American colors. An th' oath'll be on my side, you know, Lieutenant."

Officer: "Damn the man that relies on
Paddies, I say!"

Fletcher: "The same compliment to
deserters, yer honor."

-----

A body of patriotic young ∆sculapians in
New York have formed themselves into a Volunteer Medical Corps, and
gallantly offer themselves to their country to practice on its enemies
with ball and sabre, or on its wounded sons with bandage and scalpel.

THE REINFORCEMENT OF FORT PICKENS

The steamship Atlantic returned to
New York, on Wednesday, from her expedition to the southern forts, and
particularly Fort Pickens. She reached Fort Taylor, Key West, on the
13th, where additional troops and ordinance were taken on board, and
went to Fort Jackson, on the Tortugas, on the 14th, and reached Santa
Rosa island on the 16th, anchoring near the frigate Sabine. After dark,
she took about 20 boats of the fleet in tow and started for Fort
Pickens, with all lights extinguished, and came to anchor about a mile
from Fort Pickens, and in direct range of the guns of Fort McRae, in the
possession of the secessionists. But by midnight the Atlantic had
successfully transferred a majority of the soldiers to Fort Pickens, and
all were successfully landed, together with stores, ammunition, &c. The
steam frigate Powhatan arrived off Pickens on the 17th, and the steamer
Illinois on the 19th, and both landed their troops and stores. On the
return of the Atlantic to Key West, on the 20th, she was refused
coal by a secessionist named Tift, and therefore went to Havana and
coaled, and left there for New York on the 27th.

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

Hampden County

All the men in Secessia are not rogues. A whip
firm in Westfield have lately received, by express, $397 from a gentleman in
New Orleans. The money was long past due and the debt was supposed to be
worthless.

Eastern Massachusetts

A Lawrence manufactory, which has been engaged
largely in the manufacture of balmoral skirts, is now turning out a pattern
of "red, white and blue." Show your colors, ladies.

Salute Accident

Thomas Hopkins, of Gloucester, had both
his hands blown off Tuesday, while engaged in firing a salute in that
town. Te cannon was accidentally discharged, having held fire. His face
was badly burnt also. He was brought to the Massachusetts Gen'l
Hospital, and it was found necessary to amputate one of his arms above
the elbow.

A LONG BALLOON TRIP

The following despatch dated Columbia,
S.C., April 22, is published in the Richmond Whig: "Lowe, the celebrated
śronaut, has just arrived here. He left Cincinnati, Ohio, Saturday
morning, April 20, at 4 o'clock, in his balloon. His destination was
Richmond, but at 1 o'clock on Saturday, 9 hours from the time he left
Cincinnati, he came down in Union District, S.C., having accomplished a
journey of 1200 miles. He brings Cincinnati papers of Saturday morning,
containing notices of his intended departure."

THURSDAYMAY 2, 1861SPRINGFIELD DAILY REPUBLICAN

GEN. HARNEY'S ADVENTURE
WITH THE VIRGINIANS

Gen. Harney gives the following account of
his experience as a prisoner of war in Virginia:

While coming from St. Louise to
Washington, on Thursday, he was stopped at Harper's Ferry by a company
of Virginia soldiers, who informed him he must consider himself a
prisoner, and must accompany the to Richmond. The general told them they
need not send a large body of troops, as he should not attempt to
escape, but should leave them to answer to his government for the
outrage. He was accordingly taken in a carriage and escorted by five
staff officers. On the way to Richmond three days were spent in the
journey, which was made partly by rail. The party reached Richmond on
Sunday evening, proceeding directly to the house of Governor Letcher.
This magnate was at dinner, but was summoned, and at once released the
general, saying the arrest had been made contrary to orders. It appears
that the troops at Harper's Ferry, being ordered to arrest armed bodies,
took the word literally, and in the narrowest sense, and seized the
general. Moreover, the telegraph reported that he was coming at the head
of a small army. General H. remained all night in Richmond, being
courteously entertained by several military men, late of the United
States army, and in the morning early set out for Washington, declining
an escort, which the governor was kind enough to offer. He states that
he was at all times and places treated with consideration, his only
annoyances arising from the unpleasant remarks of rude youths who
mingled with the crowds infesting railway stations in Virginia, anxious
for a sight of the distinguished prisoner. Many southerners were
confident he would resign his commission in our army and join them. he
made it clear to their comprehension that he had no idea of the sort. He
says he saw very few troops anywhere, and even Alexandria, where rumor
has repeatedly located an army of thousands, was a desolate and
man-forsaken spot. His opinion, founded on observation, concerning the
state of feeling in Virginia, is that she proposes to act on the
defensive, having no designs on Washington. Of the latter point, so far
as that state is concerned, he speaks confidently. What Jeff Davis may
be left to do, is another matter.

JOHN BROWN MOVING

A letter in the Cleveland Herald from
Youngstown, Ohio, dated April 23, says: "I have just learned from a canal
boat captain who reached this place last evening that John Brown, Jr., is
encamped on Beaver river, about midway between New castle, Pa., and the Ohio
river, with four hundred negroes, principally from Canada, whom he is
practicing in military drill. The captain of whom I speak brought a large
amount of flour and other provisions from Pittsburgh for the camp. He did
not learn the particular object of the gathering, but presumes it has some
relation to a visit to Virginia--probably Harper's Ferry--when the proper
time arrives. The camp is not more than a day's march from the Virginia
line. The captain further states that 1500 additional negroes are expected
to reach the camp in a few days. They were well provisioned and supplied
generally. Another canal boat has since arrived, whose captain confirms the
report of seeing a large body of negroes encamped on the seven miles of
slack water."

WHERE WE HAVE THE ADVANTAGE

Napoleon's declaration that God is on the side
of the heaviest artillery is slightly profane, but evidently faith in God
cannot be made to take the place of artillery with any reasonable prospect
of success. The advantages the government has over the rebels in the present
war are quite obvious at a moment's thought. The white population of the
loyal states is twenty millions; of the entire South, counting out only
little Delaware, less than seven millions. If we divide these figures by
seven, the proportion of able bodied men to the whole population, we find
that the entire force of the free states is a little less than three
millions of men, and that of the South less than one million. But from the
southern side are to be deducted the entire strength of Missouri, Kentucky
and Maryland, where the power of the secessionists will at least be
neutralized by the Union strength, of western Virginia, whose people will
adhere to the Union, and of the large number necessarily remained at home to
watch the negroes, and prevent them from resuming their sovereignty. If the
Jeff Davis government could rally and arm the entire force of the South it
could not be brought up to half a million men. The North can send a million
men into the field and keep enough at home to carry on the business of the
country almost without interruptions.

But the rebellious states are very soon to be
without the munitions of war. The Charleston Mercury earnestly
deprecates the waste of any more powder in firing salutes. The Nashville
papers say that gunpowder is 75 cents a pound in that city, and very little
to be had. Where is the rebel army to get powder after it has burnt up the
supplies stolen from the government? There is but one powder mill in
Virginia, and none south of Virginia. There are eight in Maryland, and nine
in Delaware, but the government will see to it that the rebels get no
ammunition from either. Nor can they obtain it from abroad while their ports
are blockaded. In all other materials for war they are equally dependent,
and will be equally helpless when effectually shut in.

The readiness with which our northern troops
adapt themselves to all the exigencies of the campaign is another great
advantage. The repair of engines and railroads in Maryland by our troops is
a striking and most gratifying illustration of this. No southern army would
have thought of such an expedient, or had the skill to carry it through if
they had thought of it. In fact the southern railroads are mostly operated
by northern men, and will soon go to ruin if the northern engineers and
mechanics forsake them. The southern army is made up of sons of first
families, who are too lazy and too proud to work, and of poor whites who can
do nothing but the roughest sort of labor. When they come to emergencies
like those our troops encountered in Maryland, where something more than
shooting is necessary to success, they will be as helpless as an army of
children. And all through the war there must be hundreds of instances where
Yankee tact and skill will be of the highest importance to the government.
In a stand-up fight we do not doubt the bravery or the military skill of the
southerners, but that is but a single one of the many things essential to
success in a military campaign.

FRIDAYMAY 3, 1861BOSTON DAILY ADVERTISER / NEW
LONDON DAILY CHRONICLE

BLOCKADE OF NORFOLK HARBOR

A steamer of the Norfolk line, which left
here on Tuesday with the mails and passengers, expecting to be allowed
to enter Norfolk harbor, was not allowed to do so, and had to land the
mails and passengers at Old Point. A steamer which left here yesterday
afternoon has also returned without going to Norfolk. The blockade is
evidently being vigorously enforced against Virginia. The steamer
s say that the Norfolk Bay is dotted over with government transports
going and coming.

AFFAIRS IN CHARLESTON

One of these gentlemen was in Charleston
during the bombardment of Fort Sumpter, and has just arrived here from
that city. He states that troops are being sent from Charleston to
Richmond every day. Last week it was constantly expected by the citizens
that Washington would be attacked on Saturday. Business was dull; meats
and flour high, but vegetables very cheap. This was a severe blow to
those who for many years raised early vegetables for the northern
market, and who, now that it is stopped, have to sell at lower rates in
the overstocked home market. Peas--usually four dollars per bushel here
at this time--could scarcely be sold at one dollar.

The people of South Carolina were
congratulating themselves that the war was now certainly removed to the
states north of them. They breathed freer, and openly boasted that now
they had brought in Virginia and the other border states they were safe.
They thought Charleston the safest place in the South just now.
Beauregard was in Charleston on Wednesday last, and Davis was at
Montgomery on that day, as we learn from another informant.

When the rebel flag was seen floating from
Fort Sumpter the people sent hastily to the sexton of St. Michael's
Church to ring out a peal from the chimes. The sexton in his haste, rang
out a peal which was little wished here--the national anthem of "Hail
Columbia." He could not be stopped till he had completed the air.

FEARS OF SLAVE INSURRECTION

In the interior of South Carolina fears of
slave insurrections are exciting much alarm. Men sleep with guns at
their bedside; women refuse to be left alone on the plantations. In
one neighborhood forty miles from Charleston it is certain that an
attempt at insurrection was put down, ten days ago, and seven negroes
were hung.

GENERAL HARNEY

The gossip of the Capital is that Gen.
Harney has resigned, unwilling to fight against the South, and that lane
of Kentucky will have his place in the Army. Harney, it is said,
announced his determination not to draw his sword against the South, but
added that he would never fight against the Stars and Stripes. Secretary
Cameron refused to receive his resignation, and e was directed to
consider himself under arrest. So says gossip.

SPIES AND TRAITORS

A Spy Caught

A man calling himself Brooks was yesterday
arrested by Judge McCunn at Annapolis yesterday. He had been to New
York, and wormed his way into the confidence of the Union Relief
Committee, Messrs. Evarts, Aspinwall and others, and after remaining there
several days, was made bearer of dispatches to Messrs. Lincoln, Scott
and the War Department. He reached Annapolis by means of a forged pass,
which , happening to come under the immediate notice of Judge McCunn, he
caused his arrest. His answers did not wholly satisfy the Judge on
certain points, and on being stripped, the dispatches mentioned were
found next to the skin. he was at once detained, put under guard and
to-day he was tried.

Lieut. Maury's Treason

Evidences of Lieut. Maury's treachery are
daily apparent. The meanest of them yet discovered is that he removed
buoys from Kettle Bottom Shoals, leaving the Administration to find it
out as best they could.

Two Traitors Hung

A private letter from Annapolis, April 28,
says:

"and now to give you an example o f the
punishment traitors receive, we can see from where I am writing, about
two miles from shore, on the yard-arm of the United States brig
Caledonia, two men hanging--one for smuggling provisions and
powder to the Rebels at Charleston; the other for piloting the 7th
Regiment on the Chesapeake bar--with the intention that the Baltimoreans
might get possession of Annapolis before the Seventh could land. He was
not quite sharp enough for the boys. They suspected his intentions, put
him in irons, and conveyed him on board the brig, and now he is hanging
for his crime."

CAPTURE OF U.S. TROOPS

New Orleans, May 2--Col. Van Dorn with 800
Texans captured 450 federal troops under Major Sidley, who were at
Indianola and attempted to escape in two sailing vessels. Col. Van Dorn
pursued them in three small steamers and shortly after their route
seawardly was cut off by a steamer from Galveston with 120 men and three
pieces of artillery. Sixty surrendered officers are on parole. The men
were obliged either to join or take an oath not to serve against the
Confederacy.

LATEST NEWS FROM FORT PICKENS

Pensacola, April 25--The Yankees are still
busy in and around Fort Pickens. They have removed some of the barbette
guns, for what purpose is all conjecture. I was told this morning by an
old sailor in these matters that the federals have erected and planted
nine gun batteries outside Pickens. The guns were likely taken from the
fleet, as was the case at Vera Cruz. They will be troublesome, worked by
old tars.

SATURDAYMAY 4, 1861SPRINGFIELD DAILY REPUBLICAN

THE RESCUE OF THE U.S. ARMS
IN THE ST. LOUIS ARSENAL

The late secret and sudden transference of
the muskets and other war implements in the U.S. arsenal at St. Louis to
the safer neighborhoods of Illinois, was a well-planned and performed
feat. No armed force was sent from Illinois for the purpose, all
assistance necessary being rendered by U.S. soldiers stationed at the
arsenal. Gov. Yates of Illinois, it seems, had a requisition from the
secretary of war for 10,000 of the muskets for the arming o f the
Illinois militia. But it was supposed the secession mob in St. Louis, if
not the state authorities of Missouri, would resist the transference, if
undertaken openly, and according to form. So. Capt. James H, Stokes of
Chicago, formerly of the regular army, undertook to procure the muskets
by stratagem. He went to St. Louis and made his way as rapidly as
possible to the arsenal. He found it surrounded by an immense mob, and
all the postern gates closed. His utmost efforts to penetrate the crowd
were for a long time unavailing. The requisition was shown. Capt. Lyon,
one of the officers in command of the arsenal, doubted the possibility
of executing it. He said the arsenal was surrounded by a thousand spies,
and every movement was watched and reported to the headquarters of the
secessionists, who could throw an overpowering force upon them at any
moment. Capt. Stokes represented that every hour's delay was rendering
the capture of the arsenal more certain; and the arms must be moved to
Illinois, now or never. Major Callender, also of the arsenal, agreed
with him, and told him to take them at his own time and in his own way.
This was Wednesday night. Capt. Stokes had a spy in the secession camp,
whom he met at intervals in a certain place in the city. On Thursday he
received information that Gov. Jackson of Missouri had ordered two
thousand armed men down from Jefferson City, whose movements could only
contemplate a seizure of the arsenal, by occupying the heights around it
and planting batteries thereon. The job would have been an easy one.
They had already planted one battery on the St. Louise levee, and
another at Powder Point, a short distance below the arsenal. Capt.
Stokes immediately telegraphed to Alton to have the steamer City of
Alton drop down to the arsenal landing about midnight. He then
returned to the arsenal, and commenced moving the boxes of guns,
weighing some three hundred pounds each, down to the lower floor. About
700 men were employed in the work. He then took 500 Kentucky flint-lock
muskets, which had been sent there to be altered, and sent them to be
placed on the steamer as a blind to cover his real movements. The
secessionists nabbed them at once, and raised a perfect bedlam over the
capture. A large portion of the outside crowd left the arsenal when this
movement was executed; and Capt. Lyon took the remainder, who were lying
around as spies, and locked them up in his guard-house. About 11 o'clock
at night the steamer City of Alton came alongside, planks were
shoved out from the windows of the arsenal to the main deck, and the
boxes slid down. When the 10,000 were safely on board, Capt. Stokes went
to Capt. Lyons and Major Callender, and urged them, by the most pressing
appeals, to let him empty the arsenal. They told him to go ahead and
take whatever he wanted. Accordingly he took 11,000 more muskets, 500
new rifle carbines, 500 revolvers, 110,000 musket cartridges, to say
nothing of the cannon and a large quantity of miscellaneous
accoutrements, leaving only 7,000 muskets in the arsenal to arm the St.
Louis volunteers in behalf of the general government.

When the whole were on board, about 2
o'clock on Friday morning, the order was given by the captain of the
steamer to cast off. Judge of the consternation of all hands when it was
found she would not move. The arms had been piled in great quantities
around the engines, to protect them against the battery on the levee,
and the great weight had fastened the bows of the boat firmly on a rock,
which was tearing a hole through the bottom at every turn of the wheels.
A man of less nerve than Capt. Stokes would have gone crazy on the spot.
He called the arsenal men on board, and commenced moving the boxes to
the stern. Fortunately, when about 200 boxes had been shifted, the boat
fell away from the shore and floated in deep water. "Which way?" said
Capt. Mitchell of the steamer. "Straight to Alton in the regular
channel," replied Capt. Stokes. "What if we are attacked?" said Capt.
Mitchell. "Then we will fight!" said Capt. Stokes. "What if we are
overpowered?" said Capt. M. "Run her to the deepest part of the river
and sink her," replied Capt. S. "I'll do it," was the heroic answer of
Capt. Mitchell, and away they went past the secession battery, past the
entire St. Louise levee, and on to Alton in the regular channel, where
they arrived at 5 o'clock in the morning. When the boat touched the
landing, Capt. Stokes, fearing pursuit by some two or three of the
secession military companies by which the city of St. Louise is
disgraced, ran to the market house and rang the fire bell. The citizens
came flocking pell-mell to the river, in all sorts of habiliments.
Capt. Stokes informed them of the situation of things and pointed out
the freight cars. Instantly men, women and children boarded the steamer,
seized the freight, and clambered up the levees to the cars. Rich and
poor tugged together with might and main for two hours, when the cargo
was all deposited in the cars, and the train moved off, amid their
enthusiastic cheers, for Springfield.

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

Springfield

Mr. Quimby, at his saloon opposite Court
street, hails the advent of May with delicious ice creams. The creams
are more seasonable than the weather.

Otis Childs of this city, late city
marshal, has been appointed U.S. deputy marshal, for convenience in case
of any arrests being necessary on the armory grounds.

Professor J. C. Hall of Buffalo, N.Y., a
writing spiritual medium, without human agency, will lecture in the
Chicopee bank hall to-morrow afternoon and evening, at the usual hours.

The old law punishing single acts of
drunkenness, which was abolished a year ago and subsequently revived and
passed by the legislature of 1861, went into effect yesterday. Criminals
are generally scarce now, and drunkards will not be very tenderly cared
for by the police.

A party of nine Irish girls, who arrived
in New York from Ireland on Thursday, applied at the City Hall for
lodgings, last evening. They are on their way to Ware, where they are to
be furnished with work in one of the mills, and they intend walking the
distance from this city to-day. But one of their number can speak or
understand the English language.

Franklin County

The Greenfield Democrat shows that if
Anson Bement of Ashfield was removed from his office of deputy sheriff,
as charged, for advocating secession doctrines, it must have been
through a misunderstanding. He has been raising Union flags and getting
up meetings to sustain the government.

Eastern Massachusetts

A large building filled with lumber was
destroyed by fire in Charlestown, Thursday night. The building was owned
by William Johnson and the loss is over $3000, fully insured. The fire
was the work of an incendiary, and several other buildings in the
vicinity were damaged slightly.

Vermont

James H. Murdock, quartermaster of the
Vermont light infantry, has purchased 800 Colt's revolvers in Boston,
for the use of the first regiment of Vermont.

Connecticut

C. C. Brand of Norwich has invented a
projectile and bomb for the arming of vessels intended to cruise after
the pirates and privateers of the South. It is a cylindrical bomb,
steel-plated, and shot from the gun in the ordinary way. It explodes
after lodging in the bulwarks or deck of a ship, and is very destructive
in its effects.

A deceiving woman named Ann Dill was
arrested at Bridgeport on Tuesday, just as she was leaving for Hartford.
On her person $222 were found in counterfeit three dollar bills, and 43
small packages of groceries, probably purchased to put off counterfeit
money.

Miscellaneous

The new district attorney of New York has
caused the arrest of two men for being concerned in the steamer City
of Norfolk, which is known to have made a slaving voyage last
summer. One of the men, Albert Horn, is a merchant on Beaver street, and
is charged with having fitted out the vessel. The other man, Henry C.
Crawford, is charged with having been commander of the slaving voyage.
That kind of business will be sternly repressed under the present
administration.

The steamer Northern Light, from
Aspinwall, April 25, reached New York, Friday, with 360 passengers and
$868,000 in gold from California. She escaped the threatened privateers
of the southern rebels in New Orleans.

Mendosa--a city of the Argentine Republic,
South America--was destroyed by an earthquake and 8,000 people killed,
on the 29th of March. The city of San Juan is also reported destroyed,
and the bed of the river of the same name, turned on it by the same
earthquake. Two other towns were likewise destroyed.

The war excitement and the stagnation of
many kinds of business at New York have reduced house-rents greatly, and
caused hundreds of dwellings to be empty, especially of the genteel
class. It is the gloomiest opening of the month of May ever known there.
A real estate agent who does a large business, and who last year at this
time had only two houses unrented, now has over fifty on his hands. An
unusual number of stores are still marked "to let," and the rent of the
fancy retail stores has diminished like their patronage. Everybody feels
inclined to economize as much as possible, in view of the extravagant
waste of war, and the withdrawal of so many men from productive
pursuits.

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Our country is the chosen home of
minorities. With us the majority is only the flower of the passing noon,
and the minority is the bud which may open in the next morning sun.